1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of product packaging, and in particular to product packages that have a locking end cap that is released by partial destruction of the package using a tear strip.
2. Background of the Related Art
Product packaging serves a number of different functions, including: protecting the packaged product from accidental damage, attractively displaying the packaged product and preventing theft or tampering. In addition, it is desirable for a package to be as inexpensive to manufacture as possible. Assignee's co-pending application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/164,477 (filed on Jun. 6, 2002), U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,775 the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses one such improved design.
However, there is an ongoing need in the packaging industry for new package designs which can be more readily manufactured and require less material than conventional packaging and also provide tamper resistant features.